Marking device for sewing machine attachments



Feb. 23, 1960 S. P. CALDWELL ET AL MARKING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINEATTACHMENTS Filed April 11. 1958 ,5 II-ZIN VENT 0R5 ATTORNEYS UnitedStates PatentO MARKING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENTS ApplicationApril 11, 1958, Serial No. 727,838 Claims. (Cl. 112-131) This inventionrelates to sewing machine attachments, and more particularly to anattachment for use as a tucker to make tucks in material with the use ofthe ordinary domestic sewing machine.

The present invention relates particularly to a device for use upon anattachment of this type which will effectively mark the goods while onetuck is being made so that the line of fold for the next tuck will beclearly indicated to the user. In attachments of this type presently inuse, the cloth is folded and run through the machine so as to stitch thefold in place. At the same time that the fold is being stitched, meanshave been provided to mark a line of fold upon the goods along whichline the cloth is folded for the next succeeding tuck. This markingmechanism has usually been in the form of some means to mechanicallycrease or distort the goods in some manner along the line of the newfold, and in some instances has consisted of a member having an upwardlyprojecting edge and a lever having a downwardly projecting arm with aV-shaped notch therein to receive this upwardly projecting edge with thematerial therebetween so as to form a crease in the cloth.

Such a structure has been useful with many kinds of cloth in the past,but in connection with some fabrics, particularly with many ofthesynthetic fabrics now in use, it has not been found satisfactory assuch cloth will not take a crease or will not retain it, and hence therewill be no clear indication as to where the next fold is to be made.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide means which willautomatically mark the fabric for the next fold by means of powder orsimilar material deposited upon the cloth along the line of fold. Tothis end means is provided to contain a quantity of powder or similarmaterial which will be automatically discharged periodically upon thecloth in response to the movement of the needle bar during the sewingoperation. A marking lever is provided which will be forced downwardlyupon the cloth at each stroke thereof at a predetermined variabledistance from the tuck being sewed and adjacent the end of this lever isa marking device consisting of a container for a charge of powder andplunger means for discharging the powder upon the cloth at each strokeof the needle bar and along a line parallel to the line of stitching.Preferably the marking material, such as powder, maybe furnished in-aplurality of colors in contrast with the color of the cloth being used.One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved attachmentfor making tucks in material, which attachment 'may be used with theordinary domestic household sewing machine.

A still further'object of the invention is the provision of anattachment of the character described which will be providedwithimp'roved means for marking the cloth to indicate to the user the lineof fold for the next succeeding tuck.

Still another object'of the invention is to provide a sewing machineattachment of the character described provided with means responsive tothe reciprocation of the needle bar for discharging powder or the likeperiodically upon the cloth to indicate a succeeding line of fold of thecloth or for other purposes.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a marking device foran attachment of the character described which will deposit powder orthe like upon the cloth along a predetermined line relative to the lineof stitching, which marking material will be discharged at regularintervals and in measured amounts upon the cloth.

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features andcombinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. '1 is a top plan view of a sewing machine attachment embodying ourimprovements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 4 but showing the parts inanother position.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention there is shown inthe drawings a sewing machine attachment comprising a frame memberconsisting of vertically spaced plates 10 and 11 which may be securedrigidly together. The lower plate 10 ,may be depressed slightly at itsforward end, as shown at 12, and provided with a cloth-engaging foot 13having a needle opening 14 therein. ,Also secured to this lower plate isthe usual adapter 15 by which the attachment may be Secured to thepresser bar of a sewing machine. Pivotally secured at 16 (Fig. 3) to apart of the adapter 15 is a lever 17 which may be engaged by a screw orother part 18 of the needle bar 19.

A guide member 26 is carried by a slide 21 which is slidably mounted inthe space between the members 10 and 11, this member 21 having a pointer22 extending upwardly through a slot 23 in the member 11 to cooperatewith the scale 25 on the latter member to indicate the position of theguide member with respect to the needle opening.

A second slide member 26 is also mounted in the space between themembers 10 and 11, this member having a neck 27 extending outwardly frombetween these members which is formed rigidly with a guide plate 28 overwhich the cloth moves. The slide members 21 and 26 which control thepositions of the guide 20 and the plate 28 may be fixed in adjustedpositions by the adjusting screw 29. A resilient smoother member 30extends along one edge of the plate 28 in spaced relation thereto, thismember being secured at one end to the plate 28 by the rivet 31, theother end being free so that the cloth may be inserted between this freeend and the plate.

Pivoted at 32 to the plate 28 is a marking lever 33, thislever beingturned downwardly at its free end, as shown at 34, and there providedwith a V-shaped notch 35. One arm 36 of a U-shaped member 37 slidablyembraces the marking lever 33, as shown at 36 this member 37 passingbelow the lever 17 and having a laterally turned arm 38 at the other endby which it is pivoted to the plate 10, the latter being provided with aknuckle or eye 39 for this purpose.

. Referringto Fig.3, it will be seen that the member 37 lies below arecess 40 in the lever 17 so that when the latter is depressed bydescent of the needle bar 19, the member 37 will also be depressed andmoved downwardly about its pivoted end 38. This movement will in turnforce the free end ofthe marking lever 33 downwardly upon the descent ofthe needle bar. A spring 41 is provided to normally raise the member 37and the marking lever 33 to the positions shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 uponthe ascent of the needle bar.

A lateral guide extension 42 extends forwardly and downwardly adjacentthe end of the plate 28, this member being bent into U-shaped form, asshown at 43, so as to receive the edge of the cloth and guide it throughthe attachment.

It will be noted from Fig. 1 that this guide member 43 standsforwardlyof the plate 28 and of the resilient smoother member 30 so that the edgeof the cloth may be threaded into it without interference from the part30. Also this end of the guide plate 23 rearwardly of the member 30 isprovided with a U-shaped guide 44 and rearwardly of this guide with anupstanding edge 45 which, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, stands below theV-shaped notch 35 in the lower face of the leg 34. It will be seen,therefore, that with the descent of the needle bar the marking lever 33is depressed and the cloth indicated at 46 will be forced upwardly bythe edge 45 into the V-shaped notch 35 and creased. With certain typesof material this crease may be sufiicient to mark the material and maybe retained by the material so that it may be folded along this line.However, this is not true with cloth of other types and, therefore,means is provided to employ a powder or like material which may be usedwith any type of cloth although'the mechanical creasing referred toabove may still be employed if desired and if the cloth being used issuitable.

To this end a container 50 having tapering side-walls is provided with astem 51 secured to the free end of the marking lever 33. This stem isprovided with an opening or bore 52 which registers with a bore53'formed in the downwardly extending leg 34 of the lever 33 and whichcommunicates with the V-shaped groove 35. Slidably mounted within thestem 51 is the reduced end 54 of a plunger 55, the upper end 56 of whichengages a diaphragm 57 of rubber or like material.

This diaphragm is stretched over a cup-shaped member 58 and securedthereto by a hoop or ring 59, and this diaphragm assembly is secured tothe upper end of the container 50 by the nut 60. The diaphragm,therefore, closes the upper end of the container and the cup-shapedmember 58 is provided with openings 61 for the passage of airtherethrough. Powder or like marking material 62 may be introduced intothe container by removal of the nut 60 and the diaphragm assembly.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the needle bar is in itsupper position, as shown in Fig. 3, the plunger 55 will be in its lowerposition in the container 50 with the lower end of this portion of theplunger resting against the lower tapered portion of the container abovethe stem 51. The bore 52 of the stem 51 is, therefore, closed so thatthe falling of the powder or marking material therethrough will beprevented. When the needle bar descends and effects a downward stroke ofthe lever 17, this lever engages the member 37 and moves the free end ofthe marking lever 33 downwardly so that the parts of the marking devicestand in position shown in Fig. 5.

As shown in this figure it will be seen that the lower end of the leg 34has passed over the creasing edge 45 with the cloth moved upwardlyinto'the groove 35. This raises the plunger 55 to the position shown inFig. wherein the bore 52 is opened and marking powder may passdownwardly around the lower reduced end 54 of the plunger. The diaphragm57 has been expanded or stretched, thus sucking air inwardly through thebore 52.

Upon the up stroke of the needle bar the spring 41 raises the markinglever 33 and thus raises the leg 34 of this lever from the edge 45' ofthe plate 28. The rubber diaphragm 57 returns by its own flexibility toits original position, forcing air downwardly through the openings 61'and blowing this air'through the stem 51 to expel powder'upon the goodsuntil the bore 52 is closed by the shoulder'between the portions 54 and55 of the plunger.

This breathing action-of thediaphragm keeps the bore 52 free of themarking material and discharges a measured amount of the marking powderonto the cloth at each stroke of the needle bar. Therefore, as a meteredamount of the powder is discharged at each operation, this amount can bedefinitely determined so that a neat line of marking is placed upon'thecloth to determine the position of the next fold to be made in thematerial.

If the cloth which is being used is of such a character that the powderis not needed or not desired, the mechani cal marking of the cloth bybeing creased in the V-shaped groove 35 by the upturned edge 34 is stillretained.

While we have shown and described a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, it will be understood that it is not to be limited to all ofthe details shown, but is capable of modification and variation withinthe spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is:

1. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising'a frame having means thereon for attachmentto a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough,'a plate member secured tothe frame for adjustment transversely of the line of sewing, adep-ressible marking member carried by the plate member, a supply ofmarking material carried by said member, means for actuating saidmarking member from the needle bar of the sewing machine, andcooperating means carried'by said marking member and plate member fordischarging a marking material upon the cloth in response to by theneedle bar.

2. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachmentto a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible markingmember adjustably supported by the frame, a container carried upon themarking member for containing a supply of marking material, saidcontainer having a discharge opening, cooperating means carried by theframe and container for discharging the marking material upon the clothupon movement of said marking member toward the cloth, and meanseffecting such movement of the latter and adapted for engagement by theneedle bar of the machine.

3. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachmenttoa presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible markingmember adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by themarking member for containing a supply of marking material, saidcontainer having a dis charge opening, means for discharging the markingmaterial upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, meansefi'ecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, saiddischarging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to openand close said opening, and means for reciprocating said plunger.

4. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachmentto a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible markingmember adjustably carried by the frame, a com tainer carried by themarking member for containing a supply of marking-material, saidcontainer having a discharge opening, means for discharging the markingmaterial upon. the. cloth upon movement of said marking member, meanseffecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, saiddischarging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container. toopenand close said opening, and means for reciprocating said movement of themarking member 5. An attachment for a sewing machine having areciprocable needle bar, said attachment comprising a frame having meansthereon for attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide meansadjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, adepressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a containercarried by the marking member for containing a supply of markingmaterial, said container having a discharge opening, means fordischarging the marking material upon the cloth upon movement of saidmarking member, means effecting movement of the latter by the needle barof the machine, said discharging means comprising a plunger mounted insaid container to open and close said opening, means for reciprocatingsaid plunger, said reciprocating means including a member on the frameto engage a part of the plunger and move it upwardly upon depression ofthe marking member, and a yieldable member to urge said plungerdownwardly.

6. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachmentto a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mounted onthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible markingmember adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by themarking member for containing a supply of marking material, saidcontainer having a discharge opening, means for discharging the markingmaterial upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, meanseffecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, saiddischarging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to openand close said opening, means for reciprocating said plunger, saidreciprocating means including a member on the frame to engage a part ofthe plunger and move it upwardly upon depression of the marking member,and a yieldable member to urge said plunger downwardly, said yieldablemember comprising a diaphragm covering the container and engaged withthe plunger.

7. An attachment for a sewing machine having a reciprocable needle bar,said attachment comprising a frame having means thereon for attachmentto a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide means adjustably mountedonthe frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, a depressible markingmember adjustably carried by the frame, a container carried by themarking member for containing a supply of marking material, saidcontainer having a discharge opening, means for discharging the markingmaterial upon the cloth upon movement of said marking member, meanseffecting movement of the latter by the needle bar of the machine, saiddischarging means comprising a plunger mounted in said container to openand close said opening, a yieldable diaphragm spanning the containerabove the material therein and engaged with the plunger to urge itdownwardly, and means on the frame for raising said plunger andstretching the diaphragm when the marking member is depressed wherebymovement of the diaphragm forces the marking material through saidopening.

8. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereonfor attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide meansadjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, adepressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a containercarried by the marking member containing a supply of marking materialand having a hollow stem communicating with the interior of thecontainer through which the material is discharged, aplunger in thecontainer having a lower end portion extending through said stem, ayielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end ofthe plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion ofthe plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and saiddiaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon theupward movement of the marking member.

9. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereonfor attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide meansadjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, adepressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a containercarried by the marking member containing a supply of marking materialand having a hollow stem communicating with the interior of thecontainer through which the material is discharged, a plunger in thecontainer having a lower end portion extending through said stem, ayielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end ofthe plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion ofthe plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, and saiddiaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon theupward movement of the marking member and force air through said hollowstem.

10. A sewing machine attachment comprising a frame having means thereonfor attachment to a presser bar of a sewing machine, guide meansadjustably mounted on the frame for guiding the cloth therethrough, adepressible marking member adjustably carried by the frame, a containercarried by the marking member containing a supply of marking materialand having a hollow stern communicating with the interior of thecontainer through which the material is discharged, a plunger in thecontainer having a lower end portion extending through said stem, ayielding diaphragm spanning the container and engaging the upper end ofthe plunger, an abutment on the frame to move the lower end portion ofthe plunger upwardly upon depression of the marking member, saiddiaphragm acting to return the plunger to its original position upon theupward movement of the marking member,

said hollow stem having an inverted V-shaped recess in v the lower endthereof, and said abutment being received in said recess when saidmarking member is depressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS308,319 Matthews Nov. 18, 1884 928,838 Beckert July 20, 1909 2,051,672Baker Aug. 18, 1936 2,181,349 Sichere Nov. 28, 1939 2,368,539 GluckmanIan. 30, 1945 2,575,180 Lurz Nov. 13, 1951 2,778,529 Appel Jan. 22, 1957FOREIGN PATENTS 231,701 Switzerland Mar. 2, 1943

